Saturday, June 6, 2015

ATTS7: Bead Embroidery

Hello to all my friends and visitors.  It's been a long time since I posted here but it's also been a very busy month.  Spring finally arrived and we were getting the garden ready for summer.  Then we left for a wonderful trip to Washington state to visit family and sightsee and make wonderful mixed media art!  I'll post about it soon.  I'm still unpacking all the stuff!!

But, this post is about A Time to Stitch 7.  This challenge was created by Therese and Christine and we're now up to the 7th round.  This time the theme is bead embroidery.  I love bead embroidery because it takes me back to my fiber days when I was making wearables and wall hangings.  And, I love it because I love anything that takes a needle and thread through fabric!  Here is what I created.


 
 
 
I had wanted to work with black, white, grey and yellow for a summer project and I just happened to have a grey square Lunasoft cabochon.  I wasn't sure of the shape I wanted the pendant to be so I just cut the backing a little larger than I needed and bezeled the cab.  I had pulled the square link out of my stash and knew I wanted to use it for an open space to have fringe pouring out.  So, once I glued that in place I then had my shape.  The grey Lunasoft really didn't look that great once it was bezeled.  It kind of reminded me of the old small TV screens of the '50s.  I've just revealed how old I am!!!  So, I decided to glue another square link to the center of it.  Instant love!!  I made the fringe out of size 11 seed beads and clear AB glass rings.  I love glass rings for bead embroidery and usually find some where to use them in a piece.  Making a loopy fringe out of them was something I found in one of Robin Atkins' books.  Once it was finished it needed a bail.  I decided to use Delicas to make a warped square and attach it to the top of the pendant.  I really like the way the bail turned out.  I hung it from a silk covered cord necklace.   Here are a couple of detail photos.
 
 
 
 
 
Bail attached to the back  of the pendant with a size 8 and 15 seed bead.
 
 

 


I want to thank Therese and Christine for all the work they do to get this challenge going.  Please visit the other artists who are participating, too.  I'm sure you'll be inspired by the beautiful work they've done.  Here is the list of participants.
 
 
1.       Therese (Host) 
2.       Christine  (Host)
3.       Amy
4.       Lola
5.       Lori F
6.       Kim
7.       Becky Pancake
8.       Karin G.
9.       Debbie (Kepi)
10.   LizE
11.   Maryanne
12.   Paula
14.   Wendy
15.   Janet
16.   Jasvanti
17.   Ginger
18.   Alicia
19.   Bobbie
20.   Shirley
21.   Sarah
22.   Cynthia
24.   Lizzie
25.   Samantha
26.   Sally
27.   Niki
28.   Karen W.
 
Thank you all for visiting with me.  Have a wonderful day!
 

22 comments:

  1. What a beautiful piece! Love the square link glued to the cab and the colours

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  2. I knew I'd be in for a treat when I clicked on the link to your blog, Maryanne!! And of course you didn't disappoint! You cracked me up with the tv reference, and I had to scroll back up to see what you meant - but your solution was perfect. I love every wonderful aspect of this design - adding the a/b rings was a lovely touch too! Beautiful work as always.

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  3. Lovely design, those colours are striking together :-)

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  4. Hi Maryanne,
    I love your pendant! The experiment with black, grey, yellow, and white was a success. The bail reminds me of a bird taking flight. I really like the idea you had to glue the silver square link in the middle of the grey cab, nice touch.
    Thank you for participating again in ATTS 7 and I hope that you will be back for ATTS 8.
    Therese

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  5. oh I LOVE this look Maryanne! the colors are so perfect with the geometric shape! It is very retro mid-century mod! LOVE it! and this is the EXACT bail I was looking for - is that from the geometric design book? it is gorgeously done!

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  6. Some of my favorite colors and you put them together so well. I love that you added the silver square, it took it to a whole new level of incredible design. you are so talented, it is always a pleasure visiting your site. Beautiful work as always!

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  7. Maryanne ~ you always keep us in awe and surprised! This is no different...so much interest packed into such a small pendant and it all works! When I first saw it, I thought "1950s modern art bumble bee" so I laughed when I saw your tv reference. It is quite a beautiful and fun pendant! I love it!

    Thanks for signing on to another hop! We always love seeing what you do!!!

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  8. Maryanne, this is delightful! The colors are fun, and the addition of the silver square to the cab was a perfect touch. But I must say that my favorite part of the whole thing is the winged bail -- it adds a lot of visual energy to the piece, and somehow captures that 50's vibe that you felt from the luna soft. Thanks for making something that made me smile!

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  9. What a wonderful pendant! The colors are so subtle and I love your beaded bail that completes the geometrical aspect of the beadwork.

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  10. Such an interesting piece! Modern and soft... lovely!

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  11. What a happy design! It is a perfect tribute to Spring. Everything about it has a carefree vibe, from the color selection to the loopy fringe and the perfect bail you created. Wonderful!

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  12. Very interesting and very different! It's such fun seeing all the different ways everyone has taken their bead embroidery.

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  13. Definitely different! I really like the bail! Excellent work. Thanks for posting for us!

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  14. I like the details on your piece - the cab is now a unique ad very interesting focal. The fringes are brilliant too. And I love the bail as well (somehow I had the most troubles with my bail, yours is so beautiful!)

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  15. What a beautiful, happy piece! Love that bail as it gives it a 3-D effect. I so admire your ability to do this type of work...it's magical!

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  16. Putting the square link in the center was an act of genius. It really brings the piece together. The bail is also fabulous, a mini work of art all by itself! What a lovely pendant.

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  17. What a very cool piece! I love how you have done the bail!

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  18. Wow to use all those techniques and now you have something so very special! I need to learn how to make bails .....love yours!

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  19. I love your pendant!! I will have to try doing a bail like yours. I love it!!

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  20. Hi Maryanne, Your pendant is awesome. Most neutral colored pieces don't have much life to them for me but yours is fabulous. I like the soft glow of the luna cab, the metal piece in the center, and the fringe.

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  21. Lovely to see you back in blog land - your pendant is gorgeous. I do love black yellow and white together - my friend has just had her kitchen done in that trio of colours and it looks totally fab! I love the geometric shape too - the whole thing is just stunning.

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  22. I love those Luna cabs, and also own a couple that have just not found a home yet. I love what you've done with yours! I've never seen the grey before, mine are very bright colours. That fringe is really fun as well, and adds to the piece.

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